Sign-board.



` No. 824,860. PATBNTBD JULY 3, 1906.'

A.- H. GROVE. SIGN BOARD.

, APPLICATION FILED A.UG.,31, 1905.

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No. 824,860. PATENTBD JULY- s, 1906.v

A. H. GROVE, SIGN BOARD.

AP'PLIO'ATION FILED AUG. 31, 1905.

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AIJBERT H. GROVE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARRY S. INOLF, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SIGN-BOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed August 3l. 1905. SerialvNo. 276,610.

fo mi, wiz/0m, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. GROVE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sign-Boards,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in sign-boards; and the object of the invention is to produce a sign-board, as a medium for displaying advertising matter, that will be economical in construction, effecting a great saving in lumber, maintenance, and in repainting the advertisements which in the use of this board may be done in the shop instead of doing the work where the board is located. A sign-board embodying the several features will first be fully described in the annexed Specification and the novel features thereof en pointed out in the claims.

Re erring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a art hereof, and on which similar numerals o reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved sign-board embodying the several features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the sign-board. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail in section of one end of the sign-board, this view being on somewhat an enlarged scale. Fig. L1 is a fragmentary detail rear elevation of one corner of the signboard'. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail pers ective view of one of the lower corners of t e sign-board. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the V-shaped staves on the sides of which the advertisements are painted, the surrounding framework being broken away. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation of a plurality of the staves, showing the manner of placing the letters thereon.

In the drawings, 1 is a rectangular frame, preferably composed of wood, which is usually bolted or otherwise securely fastened to the posts 2, which are let into the ground. The upper and lower stringers of the ame l are recessed to form the channels 3 and shoulders 4, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) as are the V-shaped notches 5, that are cut into the shoulders 4 to form seats for the combs of the V-shaped staves.

The staves 8 are preferably formed of two pieces pivoted at the combs, (see Fig. 6,) so that the inclination of the sides may be varied, the reason therefor being hereinafter shaped staves 8 present the surfaces on which the lettering is done. The two parts or members that form the staves 8 may be locked, when the desired inclination of the sides is secured, by means of the straps 10, which are pivotally secured at one end to one of the members of the staves, and near the other end they are provided with slots 11, which engage with screwsmounted in the remaining members of the staves. By loosening the screws that pass through the slots 11 in the straps 10 the staves may be extended or contracted.

The greatest advantages of my improved sign-board over the tight-board signs so common and seen most everywhere on the sides and tops of buildings in the cities and erected along both the steam and electric roads in the country is, first, the material saved in construction; second, the sign-board being open to permit the wind to pass there is less liability of it being twisted out of alinement or blown down and the expense of reconstruction is avoided; third, the saving of the expenses that are incident to painting the signs in the shop and at the points where the boards are erected, which will now be explained.

The staves are numbered and the notches 5 in the shoulders 1 have numbers corresponding to the numbers on the staves, so that the staves may be readily changed by a novice when a sign of different lettering is desired. Vhen the staves 8 are placed into the frame 1, they are held in position by means of the retaining-plates 15, which are secured to the outer margin of the frame by means of the bolts or screws 16. It will be noted that the staves 8 have three points of contact, which remove the liability of Ithem getting out of alinement, as the combs of the staves seat themselves in the notches 5 and the diverging sides of the staves provide ample footing to retain them.

This sign-board is adapted to overcome the expense attached to sign-boards remotely located and is particularly adapted for erection along steam and electric railways. The letters are placed on the exterior surfaces of the staves 8, and the latter are mounted in a parallel manner with intervening spaces, so as to permit free circulation of the air. The distances separating the faces of the staves are such that standing directly in front of the set forth. The exterior faces of the V- IOO board or at right angle thereto no apparent relationship exists between the dismembered portions that form eachindividual unit-letter. This is no objection, however, .in view of the many advantages gained when it is considered that these boards are mounted in relation with fast-moving objects, so that the time consumed in passing directly in front of the board when nothing intelligible is discernible is of short duration. The long distances leading toward thc board from either direction with the longitudinal, however, place the inclined sides et the staves 8 directly toward the moving object. In this position the lines oic separation existing bctween the staves fade and are lost on the `faces of the ones beyond, while the dismembered portions of the letters are united, so that complete and well-defined letters stand out in bold relief.

The adjustability of the members forming the staves S, which permits the said. staves to be extended or contracted, is brought into use after the erection of the sign-board has taken place. Should the board be closely erected to the railway, the staves will be contracted on account of the acute perspective produced by the proximityT of the two, and where the boards are erected some distance from the track the staves are expanded, which exposes more surface of the staves to the observer, and thus more opportunity is accorded to study the sign by the increased area o'l" vision` Y Having thus fully described my said invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. ln a sign-board ot the character described, staves each comprising two members inclined toward each other, means for pivotally connecting the members of each stave at the converged point, and means connecting the members but permitting their inclination to be changed.

2. ln a sign-board of the character described, the trame, a plurality of staves for displaying advertising matter the sides of which are inclined toward each other, the point of intersection being toward the front of the sign-board, and means for securing the staves within the trame.

3. In a siginboard of the 'character described, the frame, notches cut into the upper and lower inner edges of the frame, staves for displaying advertising matter engaging said notches, and means preventing the displacement ot the staves from the notches.

4. In a sign-board of the character described, the frame, a plurality of staves Jfor displaying advertising matter, each stave unit comprising two or more members, means for pivotally connecting the members together at their converging-point, and means for securing the staves within the frame.

5. In a sign-board of the character described, the trame, a plurality of staves for displaying advertising matter, each stave unit comprising two or more members, means for pivotally connecting the members together at their converging point, and means for securing the staves within the trame.

6. In a sign-board of the character described, the frame, a plurality of staves for displaying" advertising matter arranged approXim ately in the same parallel plane wi thin the frame, each stave unit comprising two or more members, means 'for pivotally connecting the members together at their converging-points, and means 'for securing the staves within the frame.

In witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 22d day of August, A. D. 1905.

ALBERT H. GRGVE.

Witnesses z F. W. WOERNER, J. A. MINTURN. 

